Babymoon eve musings

If you'd have told me when I got married in 2008 that we'd be married six years before having kids, I'd have told you that you were nuts. I had it all mapped out in my head: I was getting married at a month shy of 26 so I'd certainly be fine to have our first baby by the time I turned 30. And that was what I wanted - I'd made it clear - that was the plan. But life has a funny way of taking plans that seem so simple and feasible and turning them upside down. 

As we get ready to go to Hawaii for what will be our last true vacation as a childless couple, I can't help but think back to all the vacations we've taken over the last six years. We've been so blessed to have been to some amazing places and beautiful memories will forever fill my head: eating Nutella crepes then climbing the stairs to the top of the Duomo in Florence, laughing our way through wine tastings in Napa, the amazing dinner our last night in Paris followed by a (tipsy) midnight 2 mile walk back to our hotel, poolside life-sized Jenga with bottles of wine in Mexico, getting lost in Alfama and stumbling upon the smallest bar we've ever seen (like 100 sq ft small) in Lisbon, the water taxi ride from the airport to our hotel in Venice, gorgeous hilltop views from Anne Amie Winery in Wilammette Valley, OR...

The list goes on and on. And as I sit typing with a baby girl giving me playful punches from the inside, I can't help but think how so many of those memories would never had been made if we'd stuck to my plan. 

Life will look so different when baby girl arrives - we know that - and it will be wonderful. We'll create new memories as a family that will share a place in my head and heart with the ones listed above. But nothing can take the place of those times we shared - just Brad and me - exploring the world and all it has to offer with nothing to worry about but ourselves. 

I plan to soak in every second of this babymoon in Hawaii - grateful for this time as a party of two and excited for the future as a party of three. 

I love you, B, and being where we are now, am so glad we had six incredible years to learn and play together. And baby girl, we can't wait to explore more of this amazing world with you. Party of three here we come...but first, one last hurrah as a party of two.